Reading Every Sign
by Eleanore-Rigby
Summary: Maui brings Moana a gift from the gods and now she has to make up her mind without knowing his reasons. [COMPLETE]
1. Chapter 1

Moana finally felt like she was complete.

She existed on the water with her people and her canoes, her two greatest loves, bouncing around the wooden structure like she was born wayfinding. She found her greatest joy was sharing this ancient way with her parents. It took a little while, but she watched them slowly realize their own true selves. This is where they were meant to be. Their very blood was singing with the satisfaction of their ancestors. It had been 5 years since they left Motunui, now with 7 islands under their belts.

The only thing she could do without was her people already raising her onto a pedestal of legendary status. It only made her a little uncomfortable. Whenever she would protest, they would quickly remind her that no one in a thousand years could say they had changed the world as profoundly as she had. And she would remind them just as quickly that she had not done so alone.

It surprised her when she had first seen him gliding alongside their boat with a wink. Warmth and pride had bloomed through her, down to her very toes that her friend had been able to see her in her element with the people that she treasured so much.

As Motunui gossiped from boat to boat, Moana's legend only grew. The birds passed on what they heard to the fish and the whales, and then to the crabs and coral, all the way down to Lalotai where the monsters passed her story on to the very gods themselves. Of all of this, she had no idea. Moana was living a simple, perfect life on the water…

…..Until things decided to change again.

It was already mid-day, the sun was high and shone onto her back where there sat a brand new tattoo, her first. A great hawk stretched across her shoulders and if you looked closely, you could see a mighty hook on it's wing with a crack on it's curve. This was her Maui, the one faced with incredible odds that changed him just as much as they had changed her, the perfect symbol of her greatest adventure and his.

She heard her name called from below and slid down the rope to the deck. Her feet landed with a loud and resounding thud. …Too loud.

"What's up?" She asked. The entire boat had fallen silent and awestruck, staring in her direction with open mouths. Only her mother wore a curious, knowing smile and only her father ventured to point just over her shoulder, his own face holding an expression of more amazement than Moana had ever seen on him.

She turned around and almost passed out. A smirk and a raised eyebrow from a familiar face returned her comical reaction.

"Hey Kid, long time, no see."

A hand on her palpitating heart, she gasped, "Maui!" Shocked whispers rippled behind her and Tui immediately approached the enormous deity with reverence.

He began, "Maui, demigod of the wind and sea-"

"Hero to all.." Moana helpfully supplied, earning an eye-roll from the subject of conversation.

Tui shot a warning look at his daughter and continued, "You honor us with your presence. What is the purpose of your visit?"

Maui smiled wider and responded with a formality that did not match his playful voice, "I come bearing a message for the great way finder who bore me across the see and restored the heart of Te Fiti."

Moana was very glad to see Maui but he was starting to make her nervous.

He continued, "The tale of your adventure and success has traveled far and wide. It has leapt from the grateful mouth of Motunui, to the ears of the ocean and of the gods."

She gave him a confused and hesitant smile and mouthed out, "What?"

He ignored her and continued, if possible, smiling wider, "The message I deliver is not a message but a gift. A gift of deity. Moana, you are to be demigod of wayfinding, to lead your people and _all_ people."

Her mouth hung open, speechless. Maui's shoulders fell in relief and he let out a whoosh, "Man, I'm glad I didn't mess that up. How was the delivery on that?" he asked Tui, who didn't know what to be more amazed at in that moment.

With Maui acting like his old self again, Moana relaxed a little, "It's good to see you Maui." she smiled at him.

"Yeah, you too curly. It's been way too long." He walked up and gave her a huge, strong squeeze as she giggled breathlessly. The amazed village witnessing an actual demi-god on their boat couldn't contain themselves. First there had been a beetle, and then there was this huge man! They hadn't expected him to be so very big and some hadn't expected him to be there at all, just a legend for the speaking hut. All watched together as the great deity among them excitedly lifted that dumb chicken and exclaimed loudly.

Moana rubbed her arm nervously, "Maui, I don't know what to say. I've never thought about this before. I mean, do I even have a choice?"

He straightened, still holding Hei hei, "Well sure ya do, they asked me before they gave my hook. It's a gift you can accept or not." He shrugged and smiled down at his friend.

Tui and Sina approached them and tried to steady Moana, who was all but toppled over by the gesture and it's bearer.

Maui smirked again, "Don't worry too much about her, she always acts this way when she's face to face with greatness."

Her flustered expression immediately shifted to annoyance and he snorted. Just the reaction he was hoping for.

He pointed west, "There's an island there where you can resupply and do some thinking. You should get there by dawn."

And before she could say 'don't tell me what to do', he lifted his hook in the air and the biggest hawk anyone had ever seen lifted itself to the sky and sped away. She threw a shell at his shrinking form.

—-

Wow. I can't believe this just jumped out of me. Then again, I did watch Moana 4 times in 2 days.

This thing already has a mind of it's own. Hope you like it and thanks for reading.


	2. Chapter 2

The island was (infuriatingly) right where Maui said it would be. They reached it exactly when he said they would and Moana was ecstatic to step off of a boat full of curious villagers who did not know the meaning of personal space.

They found a grove of coconut trees about 2 miles inland and spent the day harvesting supplies and setting up camp and interrogating their Demi-god to be. By noon all she wanted to do was jump on her favorite canoe and head straight for that beloved line. The rest of the day crawled by at a turtles pace with the sun laughing at her every hour she checked it's progress.

When dusk finally came, she ran.

Not once, all day had there been any sign of a giant hawk in the sky. No beetle landed on her shoulder and no horribly surprising man with a shark head scared the coconuts out of her. Not that she had been watching for him, though. She was supposed to be thinking. And when she finally reached the water, her first thought was 'what the hell?!' She doesn't see that stupid shape-shifter for 5 doggone years and now he shows up with.. with this?! This was HUGE!

The gods had chosen to bring her into their club. What did that mean? She knew exactly one demigod and all that told her was how big her ego would probably get if she said yes. She had met exactly one true god and that memory helped her even less, Te fiti had been napping ever since.

On and On. Round and round, dragging her feet through the sand.

Her thoughts and her heart ran in circles, and apparently so did she. After hours of intense pondering she stopped in her tracks to look at the perfect circle her feet had dug. She let out a blustering sound. Then all of a sudden, an idea hit her. She perked up and ran to the edge of the water, hopeful, letting the cool waves lap against her tired feet. Her eyes shone with the light of the moon hitting the bay. It was a clear night, the kind she loved. The kind that reminded her of learning to sail and to measure the stars, of being taught by the wind and sea itself.

She took a deep breath. It had been years.

"Ocean…?" she called softly. She looked out over the silent sea.

"Ocean?" A little louder this time. Still nothing. She actually pouted. Her hope was very quickly dashed but it's not like she hadn't ever had thoughts that she might never see it's presence again. She sat cross-legged in the surf and focused on the feeling of the water, reminding her that it was here. It rose and rocked as it had for all of time, but this didn't help to fight the melancholy rising and rocking her heart.

Then a thrum pulsed through the bay, laced with magic. It hit her knees and she sprung to her feet.

"Ocean!" her voice rang out in happiness. If she could have hugged the tower of water in front of her, she would have. It seemed to return the feeling as it danced from side to side in it's gladness to see its chosen one.

"Did you hear?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. The ocean nodded and shot sprays of water from both sides, clearly excited at the prospect. Moana couldn't contain a snort and a giggle, glad to see someone had made up their mind about all of this.

"I mean, I'm honored but I'm scared too." she sat back down in the surf, "I know what happens if I stay. I live and then I die. Same as every human ever." She sighed again, "But if I don't... would I be immortal?"

A nod.

"Ok, so I'd outlive... everyone."

Another nod. This made her decision even harder, she'd never had to think past her own lifetime before.

Sensing her sudden nervousness, the water undulated and leaned in close. Moana saw something coming toward her in the stream and reached for it. She could have cried at the smooth, pink conch now in her hand.

"You know," she said with misty eyes, "when I think about forever, it doesn't seem so scary with you there."

The water crashed and swirled and lifted her up, probably the closest thing to an embrace it could find. She smiled and patted the current around her waist. She'd never get used to this kind of magic no matter how long she lived.

Soon a familiar call from the trees broke the spell and she found herself dunked in the water as the ocean hid away. Sputtering in surprise, she pushed the tangled mass of hair from her face to see her mother standing on the beach, farther away than she remembered it being.

"It's a little late for a swim." Sina said with a smile and a hand on her hip, "I thought you could use some company."

Moana waddled onto shore, coughing, "Well, you're not wrong…" She laid down on the sand. Sina joined her, leaning back and soaking in the sound of the waves. They were silent for a time, neither knowing what to say but comfortable just the same. The ocean was being suspiciously normal but Moana knew it was listening. She cast a helpless look at her mother, "I wish I knew what to do."

"Ha!" she laughed, "No one ever knows what to do in a time like this. Anyone who says they do is lying."

Her daughters response rang true with sarcasm, "I feel loads better now." she mumbled.

Sina chuckled again and placed a tender hand on Moana's cheek. "You'll know what to do. Remember, you're the only one who can choose what your life will be. We learned that lesson years ago, didn't we?" Thankfully, this earned a light chuckle. Then she pressed their foreheads together with great affection, "I always knew you'd do wondrous things, my little minnow."

—

Y'all, it is difficult as hell for an anthropomorphic body of water to emote through WORDS. Wtf.

I love that ocean, though.

As always, thanks for reading.


	3. Chapter 3

Five freaking days. No Maui. Stuck on a nameless island.

When he did show up, Moana was gonna punch him right in his stupid face. He definitely deserved it for ditching her right after she realized how much she'd missed him. So. Aggravating.

"I hope Tamatoa eats you." she mumbled, kicking a shell into the water. A glowing wave followed her progress as she tracked back and forth across the beach. Every now and then it would slide back to reveal a shell in her path that she might like. There was already a pile collected at the base of the favorite tree she sat under when her feet got tired out. You see, it had been hours since she started pacing. She had watched the sun at it's highest point until now as it was beginning to slink toward the horizon. It set fire dancing on the surface of the water and made the clouds a lively shade of pink and looked very warm.

The sight gave her a sudden pang of longing for Motunui. It was unexpected and fairly unwanted, for she was still thinking and those past five days had not brought any new solutions to her quandary. Her parents knew no way to help aside from giving her space (sometimes just avoiding her for that temper, which ran on a very short fuse these days). The rest of the village seemed to flipflop as much as she did, giving her space and then holding her tight enough to squeeze her eyeballs out, proud of her for going and then wanting desperately for her to stay.

What was a girl to do?

"AAAAAUUUGGGGHHHHHH!" she screamed into the void, fists clenched and knees bent. She sat down in a huff and a splash, waist deep in cool water, trying to soak up some peace.

"CHEEEEEEEEEEHOOOOOOOOOOO!"

She jumped to her feet and looked toward the horizon, her mouth wide open, eyebrows hitting the sky.

Finally! There he was in all his stupid glory. Not a whale, not a shark, not a hawk and definitely not a beetle- just the great (stupid) Demi-god Maui on a tiny canoe. His firm stance was a dark silhouette against the evening sun as he crossed over the battering waves of the reef, holding a taut rope in one hand and steering with the other. Amid the spray of the sea, he flashed her that cocky, self-assured grin that was pure Maui.

Wait… she squinted at the shape and thought she could make out a familiar tattoo on the sail. She beamed. It was her canoe- their canoe!

She let out a whoop and shot a triumphant fist into the air. She was thrilled out of her mind to see it again, the last member of their crew, missing for years moored in Motunui.

Unable to contain herself, she bounced forward and dove into the water, swimming out to meet him. Exactly one second later, she felt the friendly current yank her down and then shoot her ahead like a dart. It splashed her right onto the deck, laughing and sputtering all at once, her hair a tangled mess in her face. Maui's bouncing laugh was the most welcome sound she'd heard all week.

"What's up, buttercup?!" he called as huge hands closed over her shoulders and threw her into the air, finally catching her in a wet, crushing hug.

She hugged him back with all she had.

"Missed you, Mo." he said with great feeling.

"Missed you too, Maui." she answered with equal affection. Feeling a pinch near her shoulder, she pulled back and giggled at Mini Maui greeting her just as fervently.

Maui set her down and immediately that grin was back in place. He arched an eyebrow at her as he grabbed her shoulders again and spun her around before she could protest. He spun her so fast, her hair whipped around and smacked her in the face.

"Aw, the baby got her first tattoo?" he teased, "I need a better look at this."

She froze. Then she felt his hand on her back. Maui didn't make another sound.

He stretched his hand across her great hawk and gently traced his hook and its crack. Slowly. He slowly ran over the length of each wing that reached past her shoulders and over her arms, protecting her.

"…It's me." he said, amazed. Reverent.

She smiled in spite of the redness on her cheeks, "Don't let it go to your head."

He huffed and rolled his eyes while Mini-maui nodded his agreement. "Figures you'd take her side." he mumbled.

She turned on her heel to face him, "Do… ya like it?"

He stomped away, rocking the boat as he did, "Yeah, yeah.. it's ok." he waved her off with a half-smirk. Mini Maui wiped a tear from his eye, obviously moved. He jumped up to climb the mast but not fast enough for Moana to miss his ears going bright red. She tried her best to hide her giggle.

Meanwhile, the sun had finally slipped away and the first stars were blinking themselves awake. Twilight.

Maui jumped down, rocking the entire boat and sat without a word next to his hook. Moana had already begin to take charge without even realizing it. A tug here, a knot there and the canoe sailed across the bay with her steady hand at the helm and her smile facing the wind. By the time they ran aground, she was outshining the stars.

Her toes hit the sand and she ran a loving hand along the side of her surprise gift.

"Did you go all the way to Motunui for this?"

He jumped down and smirked, "Sure did. Thought the Demi-god of way-finding could use her canoe." The comment was obviously tailored to please but it made her pause. It sounded strange.

"Aw, c'mon, what's that face for?" He shoved her shoulder playfully. He never liked her troubled face.

She stood and turned away, rubbing her arm self consciously, "I'm still not sure how to feel…" (But really, she knew exactly how she felt.) (Terrified.) When she glanced over her shoulder to see his reaction, she didn't think being so frank had been the best choice. He had the strangest expression on his face. He looked wary and was that.. disappointment?

"What do you mean?" he asked, walking closer. She was reminded that when Maui got serious, he forgot what personal space was.

She leaned away from him, "Well… I'm not sure about this whole 'living forever' thing." she admitted. Moana turned to look up at the stars that were as old as she might be one day. The breeze Maui had harnessed thousands of years ago cooled her skin. She looked at him now, "I mean- how old are you?"

He followed her gaze skyward and shrugged, "I forgot. It's been… a while since I lost track."

"What's it been like?" she asked quietly.

"Lonely." he huffed, finally understanding. Mini Maui punched him in the shoulder. He chuckled, "Except for you little buddy."

Moana drooped. "Yeah, that's what I figured." she said, more to herself than to him.

They stood together in silence for a while, watching the glittering backdrop. Listening to the water. Neither knowing what to say.

And then Maui's stomach grumbled loud enough to shake the coconuts from the trees and she lost herself to helpless laughter.


	4. Chapter 4

**ATTENTION: Please re-read chapters 2 & 3 before this one- they have been reworked for better plot and flow. **

There had never been a louder snore. It yanked him right out of a sound sleep way later than he would have thought.

Maui blinked into the sun, stretched out like a starfish on the warm sand. He turned his head and could't help the cheeky, gap-tooth grin at the sight of her- Moana was curled protectively around the half of a coconut they'd shared last night.

He sat up and stretched his massive arms just as another string of snores came out of that pretty little nose laying next to him, the last of which was so loud that she actually woke herself up.

He smirked at her as she tried to wipe away the sand caked on her cheek.

"Morning, Princess."

She shot him a look and rubbed the sleepiness from her face. Then she squinted up at the sun and promptly screamed, throwing her coconut at him.

"Hey!" he chuckled (half yelled), catching the thing, "What's your problem?"

She hollered again, "I'm LATE."

"LATE?" he teased, "Late for what?" He took a big chomp out of the coconut.

"Mom and Dad wanna meet today to talk about leaving.", she shared, "It's been five days on this island and we need to get back out there."

Maui leaned on his elbow and raised an eyebrow at her, "We?"

She sighed dramatically, "Me."

That ocean junkie couldn't stand dry land for more than a few days and he knew it.

Said junkie heaved herself up and dusted the sand off of her.. well, all of her.

"Aren't you coming?" she asked the still sandy Demi-god.

He threw himself back down with a thud and closed his eyes, "Nah, not my thing."

Moana actually grabbed his ear and yanked him back up again, "It's your thing today!" she corrected him cheerfully. "Unless you're just a teensy bit scared of a few villagers…"

He looked at her face, plastered with that smug look she gets when she knows she's being witty.

"Little girl. Not scared."

"Could've fooled me."

Still holding his ear, she was pulled off her feet as he stood up at his full height. He huffed, peeled the smug barnacle off of his face and set her down, "If it'll shut you up."

The barnacle threw two fists in the air and started walking up the path in a victory march, "YES! I win!"

He followed after her with a smile he hoped she didn't see, for it was his nervous one and there's no way she'd miss it. Thankfully, she was too busy babbling about a strange dream she'd had with a big black lizard in it to even notice.

—

When they arrived at the camp, his nervous smile got dialed up to 11. It was a hotter day than normal but he was already sweating. Maui wasn't sure how things had gotten so awkward so fast.

The villagers had quite literally turned their backs on the shapeshifter as he walked through their camp for the first time. Everyone looked his way but no one made eye contact and their whispering was shifty.

A shiver ran down his back at their naked scrutiny- he felt naked without his hook. Didn't like it one bit. What was going on with these people? Every tree they passed, he heard more whispering and none of it was good. He didn't understand it, he was only the guy who had come to take their future chief away from-

Oh, right.

Moana, walking next to him, was pink with embarrassment at the disrespect her people were throwing at them. She was stomping around like an idiot, probably trying to make him feel less… conspicuous. It helped a little.

Those stomping feet led him toward the grove of coconut trees where her parents were speaking to several villagers about the harvest they were enjoying. The trees were heavy with fruit and the forest was full of game. Everyone looked pleased.

Moana's mother smiled at their (noisy) approach but Maui watched as the Chief's face tensed at the sight of him. A smile and a bowed head was the best greeting he could think of and he hoped it was respectful enough to keep them from whispering to each other like the rest of them.

Their daughter greeted them with more closeness, pressing her forehead to each of them pleasantly. Still holding her mothers hand, she turned to introduce him, a smile stretching from ear to ear. He couldn't help but return it.

"This is Maui." she said with obvious fondness (and maybe a little pride). The warmth in her voice soothed his jumpy nerves and his smile broadened to reveal the trademark gap in his teeth. That may have been the best introduction he'd ever gotten.

He bowed his head again and greeted them both, trying not to fidget.

His gaze then drifted to her left and made eye contact with Sina, who was looking at him curiously. He looked away toward the tree line and awkwardly kicked the dirt.

The ensuing conversation was pretty short and a little strained (on Tui's end, at least).

The chief and his wife talked about everything their daughter had missed the day before and did their absolute best to dance around the big cloud above their heads with Demi-god written across it. That cloud happened to be tied to Maui's ankle, so he was still feeling about as welcome as a fungus.

As such, he was more than happy to slink into the background when they unconsciously squeezed him out of the circle, talking amongst themselves- talking, which soon turned into one heck of an argument between Moana and her father at a new bit of information they shared.

It was a predictable - not hard to follow and only scaring a few villagers away. It definitely stayed true to Moana's desperate fear of being land-locked.

"You see," they told her, "this place is perfect for a new village!"

The island was cut from the same cloth as Motunui and had made them homesick. Maui could definitely see similarities. It was as lush as the day is long, the land was fertile and the lagoons were teaming with fish. The grove could sustain them while they planted more and put some roots down of their own.

As they fought, he couldn't look away from Moana's reddening face, very weird to see against the backdrop of peaceful greenery behind her.

It was more fun than Maui would ever admit (to her) to watch Moana freak out. Her red face turned, if possible, a tomato-ish hue when they mentioned that it might be time for her to settle down and that this was as good a place as any.

Of course, he knew why she was losing her cool- he could almost see the cage forming around her trying to keep her feet on the ground. A ball and chain was appearing around her ankle to make her stay- but would she let it?

'That's a no…' he thought as she began to argue at a louder volume than she should have. It escalated from there pretty quickly as she panicked. Shoulders were squaring and Moana was now on her tip-toes like a bird puffing it's feathers to look tougher.

It made him chuckle at her temper but it also gave him pause and just like that, he concocted his next move.

He laid his hand on Moana's shoulder and she jumped. The argument came to a screeching halt. His hand almost swallowed her whole and reminded them all just how big he was. No feathers needed puffing here.

"What?" Moana tried to turn on him but his hand held her fast.

"Excuse us, I need a word with Moana in private." he bowed his head again to the village leaders.

Moana was furious, "You 'need a word'?" she yelled at him as he turned to go, "Who talks like that?"

He ignored her.

"See you later!" she hollered again, "I still 'need a word' with my dad."

He would have continued ignoring her but had a sudden thought. He arched an eyebrow down at the stubborn thing, mischief written all over his face as realization dawned on hers.

She backed up and pointed a warning finger at him (in vain), "No. No.. NO! You stay away from me!"

It's amazing how easily he was able to yank her off the ground and toss her over his shoulder like a bunch of angry bananas yelling profanities at him. In no time, he was practically skipping down the trail to the beach, whistling louder and louder the farther away they walked.

Her parents watched them go and Sina smiled at her flabbergasted, still red-faced husband, as she had many times before in the face of his wide-eyed incredulity.

Down the path they went, Maui laughing every time Moana tried to escape his grasp and with every laugh she fought a little less. He had chased the tension away, leaving only her stubborn indignation. She was left with no other option than to prop her chin up with her hand and stare at the trees with no small amount of sass.

He didn't drop her onto the sand until the water was at their feet. She jumped up and faced him, throwing her hands out, "What was that?!" But he was already walking down the beach. She let out yet another frustrated yell and ran after him, kicking up lots of angry sand behind her.

Maui was a little frustrated himself. Her temper was still a bonfire and she needed to calm down before they got into TeKa territory. He knew very well how painful a barb from angry Moana could be when she flared her brightest. These very barbs were currently bouncing off his back as they walked and he ignored every one.

Ah.. finally. They reached the canoe that she hadn't even noticed they were headed for.

"Get on." he ordered. He actually saw smoke coming out of her ears and had to stop himself from laughing. Keeping his best serious face intact, he ordered her again. "Get on or I throw you on."

When she made no move but to cross her arms defiantly, he threw the fireball onto the damn canoe and pushed off.

Maui grabbed the oar and the rope and sped straight for the edge of the reef, while Moana (clueless) sat as far away from him as possible, pretending to ignore him- a task proving difficult as the canoe began to dip and bow in the increasingly choppy water.

Finally, they were almost to the bar. The spray hit his face and he smiled- it was a lot rougher than he expected. Perfect.

Maui dropped everything and dove off of the canoe.

The last thing he saw before going under was the open mouth on her shocked face. Very satisfying.

Feeling clever, he watched her scramble for control as the boat rocked dramatically, waves crashing on the deck and on her head the closer she got to the edge of the lagoon. He could barely even hear her cursing his name as he swam all the way back to the beach.

He stepped onto the sand just in time to see her sail over the reef like the master she was.

—

Pink, orange and purple stretched from one end of the horizon to the other. Moana had disappeared beyond that line hours ago.

Maui stretched and hopped up from his napping spot, grabbing his fish hook. Now… he tapped his chin thoughtfully. What form would he take to go and find her? He could surprise her with the shark and scare her silly? Maybe the whale..

He looked down at Mini Maui who looked right back at him and blinked into the best one.

Yeah, why mess with the tried and true? He went with his favorite- and hers.

One flash, a happy yell, and a great hawk with fantastic hair spread it's wings over the ocean, looking for it's chosen one. That big, blue expanse had been his domain for centuries, Maui and the sea. Then again, Moana had claimed it as hers the second she got on her first canoe.

It took him a while to find her. She was miles away from the island and from anyone trying to keep her there.

Her eyes were closed and her feet swung back and forth in the cooling, twilight water. She didn't even turn around when he dropped onto the deck and sat next to her, gathering his post-flight crazy hair into a top knot.

He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. The smell of the sea was like medicine. It always cleared his head and let him do the thinking he needed, especially when the stars were out. The night was made for way-finders.

"Thank you."

He smirked, "You're-"

She stopped him before he could even get the word out, "Don't you dare." When he glanced at her, she was smiling. Then she sighed, "Why are they doing this?"

He made a thoughtful face, seeing her two concerned parents in his mind, "Instinct." he said.

Her face puckered in confusion in the moonlight bouncing off the water.

"They're about to lose you." Maui clarified with a shrug, "Or at least they think they are. They're panicking."

She rolled her eyes, "Hmph. Yeah, and this is the way to keep me here. So stupid."

"Hey." he chided, shoving her shoulder, "Don't make fun of em. They just want you to stay."

It was gratifying to see a sheepish look immediately cross her face and he knew exactly what she was thinking of. He could practically see it in a thought bubble over her head- that one, sad beginning written on his back. That damn tattoo.

He hand't meant to make her feel too terrible. It just didn't feel right to see her buck against her family, misguided as their actions were. He'd never have a chance to take something like that for granted.

"Are you saying I should stay?" she asked him earnestly.

What was he saying exactly? Mini-Maui looked up at him with his arms crossed, saying 'we're trying to keep her, you idiot.'

He looked up at Moana then. Her eyes shone with sincerity and starlight. The rough water had tangled her hair and matted it down. No trace of her hot temper remained but for the pinkish sunburn on her cheeks and shoulders.

Something weird shot through his chest and caught in his throat.

He pondered her for a long moment, buying time to recover but also not wanting to give her half-assed advice soaked in his own bias. He cleared his throat.

"I'm saying you shouldn't be mad at them. I mean, I get it."

"Get what?"

"I wouldn't wanna lose you, either."

—-

Well then. The fluff is just coming outta me like lava.

If you're confused- please re-read chapters 2 and 3. They have been reworked with a better flow as I map out this story. Sorry for the weirdness.

As always, thanks for reading (especially as I learn the ropes of storytelling).


	5. Chapter 5

**ATTENTION: Before you read this chapter, please re-read chapters 2-4! I have reworked them and they are entirely different. (you'll thank me later, trust me.)**

 _ **ENJOY!**_

* * *

In the early morning meeting, another hand was raised. Then another and another. The circle of hands seemed to waggle their fingers at her, applauding her misery. Moana's shoulders drooped farther and farther down with every vote cast.

Alright, then. It looked like they were staying put. Unanimously.

Well… almost. The last vote was a single fist pointed at the ground and she stood alone.

Her father called the majority and her clenched hands fell loose. Just like that, her world was reduced to what it once was at 16 years old- Motunui vs. Moana and her sailboat tunnel vision.

What was she going to do?

Not knowing where to look, she pointed that tunnel vision at the tree line and found Maui standing there with his arms crossed, looking absurdly concerned. Not concerned enough, she thought. She'd have to make sure she gave him hell for pulling this gods-forsaken island out of the sea in the first place. Yeah.. technically this was his fault.

Her resigned gaze then fell on her parents and their encouraging smiles slapped her in the face. A pout was just waiting to to grace her stoic mouth so she walked quickly toward her only friend at the edge of the grove.

He uncrossed his arms and straightened himself awkwardly. She could have sworn he was about to reach out for her.

"Sorry, kid." he finally laid a sympathetic hand on her head.

She huffed the tousled hair from her face. "Yeah, yeah."

"Wanna go?"

She managed half-smile at the question, but there was no time to jump in the water, now. "We've gotta get to work." she told him. Her brow furrowed in confusion as he bounced back excitedly.

"Awesome! Where do we start?"

She could tell he was trying not to clap his hands. The rest of the meeting group was scattering and still somehow refused to look in Maui's direction. She looked at them and then back at him, practically vibrating he was so eager to help them.

She thought for a moment, "Well.." a finger pointed to the large area next to camp, "We need to clear all of that loose brush."

"Done."

A memory of Lalotai hit her and she smiled. When there was something to be cleared away, he definitely knew a quick way to do it. She grinned slyly at Mini Maui on his broad back, who bounced up and flexed his muscles as if to say, 'We got this'.

Every head in the village finally snapped in Maui's direction when he filled his mammoth lungs and blasted the air out again in a circle around him, finishing the job in four (very noisy) seconds.

He held out his arms and beamed at Moana, "TA-DA!"

She threw her head back and laughed, applauding her newest and best worker. When another idea hit her, she grabbed the hook he'd left on the ground and dragged it toward him at a run.

"We need more space to clear. Can you scare away everything in there?" she pointed at the jungle to their left.

His grin widened, "Hang tight, curly." In a flash, those big hands lifted her up and threw her onto his shoulders. He grabbed his hook and one of her ankles, let out a fearsome roar and charged the underbrush. They shook the trees with their racket and scared everything on the entire island in the process.

All of the excitement was making her forget how rude everyone had decided to be and even the reason she kept giving him these tasks but with each one, Maui grew more eager to please and the weight on her heart would lighten a bit more.

Naturally, most of the heavy lifting went to him, the only one with enough muscle to have 'lassoed the sun' on his resume. He picked up the ridiculously huge tree trunk he had just felled and was about to walk with it towards the beach. It looked like he was eager to show off his carving skills. As he hoisted it onto his shoulder and steadied it with a single hand, his mood had so improved that he began to sing a jovial song that had always kept him company on the water- one of his favorites.

His unofficial boss was listening with both ears as she followed after him with a skip in her step, dragging a (much) smaller tree behind her.

And that's when it happened.

Cutting through each section of work in the camp, one of the oldest men in the village was hobbling straight to Maui and scaring the daylights out of him with each step. The commotion of activity tapered off as the elder laid his hands over his walking stick and opened his mouth to speak. All ears were tuned in. Maui froze.

"You-" his feeble voice addressed the deity, "What was that song?"

Maui looked down at the shriveled, scrutinizing face and blanked, "Uhhhh…" These were the first words anyone in the village had spoken to him. Mini Maui fainted dead away.

Moana punched his shoulder and nodded her wide eyes at him. He shook the daze from his face and stuttered a bit that he couldn't remember the name of it, which (to everyone's surprise) made the ancient face lift in a smile.

"I thought as much." the old man warbled, "I haven't heard that air since I was very small." The whispering villagers erupted at his next question, "Would you be so kind as to teach it to me?"

And in that moment, it was like Maui had never been an outsider.

The afternoon turned out to be just as busy as their morning had been. Moana could barely keep an eye on her social butterfly. When she passed back through the construction site again, she almost couldn't find him under the pile of questions the elders had him buried him under.

The second time, she was greeted with that chuckle that came from deep inside his chest. It was one heck of a welcome sound. He was craving out the beginnings of his post but instead of working alone, he had help from the other men. Judging from the jokes they passed back and forth, Moana would have thought they were old friends.

Every booming laugh endeared him to one more person on the island.

When she finally stopped for good, there was a fire lit. Maui sat entrenched in the circle, surrounded by wide eyes as he did what he does best- bragging about himself.

Moana could not bite back the giggle that bubbled up when she saw him. He was surrounded by her people and his enormous body was draped in loud, curious children. His eyes were as bright and happy as the fire. Tiny fingers poked at Mini Maui wherever he tried to hide, sparking many questions about the legends he jumped in and out of.

"What about this one, Maui?" a squeaky voice asked.

The strutting peacock flexed the tattoo, "That's Tamatoa. I tore his leg off and threw it into the sea. He's the one who stole my hook."

A chorus of ooo's and aaah's rose from his new following. Moana rolled her eyes. It was a little over-simplified but she had to let the sleeping dog lie.

A different squeak piped up, "How'd you get it back, Maui?"

"I didn't." he shrugged one shoulder and pointed right at Moana, "She did."

Everyone's jaw dropped, even Moana's.

"Tamatoa had gotten stronger and I couldn't get my hook to work." his eyebrows flew up for emphasis and his voice dropped 2 and a half octaves for dramatic effect, "A thousand years messed with the magic. It wasn't looking good for Maui.."

She rolled her eyes again at his 3rd person sleeze

He threw a wink at her, "Lucky for him- a curly-haired, non-princess had followed him down to Lalotai to save his butt." Several gasps rippled through the circle at the mention of Lalotai.

"She tricked him with a fake heart! She grabbed my hook and me and escaped when a geyser blasted us into the sky, just as Tamatoa grabbed at us with his giant claws!"

Everyone screamed and giggled as he reached out to catch them. One of the squeakers jumped into Moana's lap for protection which made her giggle. She gave him a tight squeeze as the rest of the children started an argument right out of Maui's hero-worship fever dreams.

"Maui's MY hero!"

"No... MINE!"

She fully expected to see a self-congratulatory expression on his face or go on one of his 'hero to all' tangents, but he didn't. Her breath caught when she looked into his eyes. They were practically glowing with joy as he soaked in his very first feelings of acceptance.

He leaned down very gently when a small girl tugged a lock of his hair.

"Who's your hero, Maui?"

Moana got goosebumps when his eyes flew straight to her.

* * *

What's that sound? My fanfiction teakettle is whistling-

Slow burnnnnn

Mutual respecttttttt

Love based in friendshippppppp

Damn, I make some good tea.


	6. Chapter 6

Indispensable was the word of the day and it was pinned to Maui's new lava lava.

A vibrant green pattern finally replaced the tired leaves he had tied together a thousand years before.

He couldn't remember the last time he possessed an actual piece of clothing. It was the first gift he'd received from a mortal and his second at all in all those years.

When Moana's mother passed the folded cloth into his hands and told him what it was thanks for, he (accidentally) laughed in her face.

'For protecting her? Yeah, right.' he thought sarcastically. Who had been protecting who exactly?

He knew very well that Moana had saved his sorry butt two or three times before he even got the chance to return the favor and as he accepted the gift from her mother, he may have been a little too eager to share this.

While obviously amused, Sina did not look the least bit surprised.

"Consider it thanks for being such a help around here, then." she had said, patting his shoulder approvingly. Then she leaned in with a whisper, "And for making her so happy."

She'd left him there, opened mouthed and staring. Maui swallowed the casual statement which splashed into the churning pot of uncharted territory that was brewing in his stomach.

"What did she say?" he asked Mini Maui. The ink spot only crossed his arms and smirked.

Oh well, it's not like he hadn't heard her well enough for those words to rattle around in his head for days after like some sort of anxiety maraca. They ricochet'd back and forth in his mind, bouncing off of every instinct embedded in the dark corners he'd never bothered to wander into.

Instinct had always been both parents to Maui, guiding him through the great unknown. He had to admit, it was sort of thrilling to experience some of them for the first time, urges and compulsions he had no name for, even as old as he was.

A few strong and very human instincts rang in his ears the loudest these days and they rang louder with each hand carved post he poured his heart into, each fale he raised with help from the boisterous village men, and each night around the fire among the warm people returning his ardent embrace ten-fold.

Woven through it all was the shining red thread that had led him here and binded his happiness to it's source. It pulsed with the heartbeat at it's root, cradled in her chest.

Of course it was her.

Neglected as it was, he knew very well what kind of instinct was pulling that thread tighter, even without her mother's sly reminders.

Was she really happy? He definitely was.

He took a deep, heavy breath on top of the islands tallest mountain where he'd gone for some alone time. The air was clean and bright and it… tingled. He rose to his feet and threw his hook over his shoulder. He knew he'd better get back to the village before the storm came. It felt like a big one.

—

Moana wiped another trail of tears from her blotchy, puffy cheeks. The water was still and stretched as far as her eye could see in every direction, one big, flat shoulder for her ridiculous outpouring. This was one of those times when the cagey, hostage feeling overwhelmed her and she had to slink out of the islands sight.

The Motunui vice grip on her heart had finally squeezed out every tear she had and she couldn't find the off switch. Hugging her knees and leaning against the mast of her beloved canoe, she cried it all out.

It had been exactly two weeks, three days, 35 minutes and 57 seconds (or something like that) since they had run aground on her new.. what was the word? Oh yes, prison.

She didn't mean to be so bleak. At least, she tried not to be. Every now and then there were times when her optimism broke through that grey wall of abysmal gloom. When that happened, she tried to remind herself that life wasn't all that bad. For starters, everyone she cared about in the whole world was together and happy and she wanted for nothing.

But then that grey wall would stretch a foot taller and she'd remember that she had basically been abandoned by her people, left holding the bag all by herself on their massive voyaging canoe.

She couldn't help but feel a tiny bit betrayed. The past couple of years on the water, she had been so, so sure that this was something everyone wanted.

That stubborn desire for the unknown had gone from something that made her an outcast to being something they all shared and it had filled her heart with purpose. Never in her wildest dreams did she expect to start at square one again. Gods, it was depressing the hell out of her.

She couldn't even bear to sail anymore, save for instances like these when she entertained a small mental breakdown for a bit- she'd throw some excuse to her parents and run for her life. Though, lately her excuses were more often going to Maui. She couldn't bring herself to tear him away from his newfound happy place.

Not that it mattered much anymore. The farther she sailed, the farther the island reached out with it's long, bony fingers to stick her back in the sand.

She hoped with all of her heart that Maui was gonna stay put for a while. Being stuck in the sand was only bearable because he was stuck there with her.

The forgotten chosen one leaned her forehead on her knobby knees and focused her eyes on the planks of the boat beneath her calloused feet. The only sounds she heard were the soft hiccups that came after uncontrollable sobbing.

What she couldn't hear were the dark clouds starting to roll over the stars, crackling with dormant power.

—

Oh my.

Loving Mature!Maui. Nothing makes a guy grow up like truly caring about someone. OOPS, have I said too much?


	7. Chapter 7

The soft crunch of dirt under foot was swallowed right up by the howling wind.

The entire village marched along the central path, headed for its lone meeting fale which stood, unmoving, against the storm bearing down on them. It had been raised by someone who's tastes ran on the larger side of things but that was something everyone was thankful for today, on the darkest morning many of them had ever seen. The only time you could see farther than the end of your nose was when a flash of electricity cracked overhead.

No one even batted an eye at the muscled bundle of tattoos and magic bouncing up, down and around their chorus line. Deft fingers secured any loose end they found in that half-baked village.

Maui huffed a stray curl out of his eyes as he tied down a thatched roof that was trying to escape. Mini Maui would have been blown clean away if he wasn't inked down. The hawk on his shoulder flapped it's wings restlessly.

Truth be told, a birds eye view would have been way better for this, but no bird of any size stood a chance against this kind of power and he wasn't stupid. The trees around him cracked and groaned under the onslaught to back him up.

Still… he mused. Might not be a bad idea to grab the hook anyway, just in case. The muscles in his arm twitched with anticipation as he flexed his empty fingers. Now, where had he left that thing?

A string of firebolts lit the sky in quick succession across the low hanging clouds, ready to bust open any second now.

Maui tied off that last roof and then leapt on top of it. He strained his eyes against the wind toward the the hut where he'd left his hook at the other end of the path. There was a flickering ring of light around the edges of its billowing tapa cloth that blinked as a busy shadow crossed back and forth inside.

A smile spread across his windburned face. It looked like he'd be able to grab two birds with one stone. He loved being efficient.

One more jump and he landed at the door, still smiling against the wind. After spending a morning almost blind, he was looking forward to her sunny face lighting up the rest of his day. His rough hand caught the fluttering tapa and pushed it to one side only to find… not the person he expected.

Sina smiled warmly at his heavily confused frown. Her arms were full of last minute packing, obviously prepared for the wind to carry the entire hut away.

Maui's frown deepened as his brain replayed every face he had passed going into the shelter.

"Where's Moana?" he asked, heart sinking.

Her mothers face immediately fell, "She's not with you..?"

Sina dropped everything she was holding and Maui grabbed his hook and shot out of the hut at a thousand miles an hour as they both realized in the same instant that they knew exactly where she was.

He'd never run so fast.

The first of the rain pelted his face like shards of glass as he raced faster still, praying to all the gods that he was wrong about her for once- that their canoe was grounded in the sand and she was taking cover under it.

He gripped his hook tighter, though the thing was all but useless in this devil storm. There was literally nothing he could change into that wouldn't croak in these conditions.

He felt like he was moving in slow motion when he finally dug his feet into the sand and braced himself against the incredible gale at the edge of the open ocean. He squinted down the beach for any sign of her and started to panic.

Waves that could slice a person (or a magic shark) in half were crashing violently onto the sand. The canoe was gone.

Fuck, there was no time.

Without another thought, Maui let out a monstrous bellow as he flashed his mighty hook and exploded into the sky, taking his chances against the wind.

—

Crap.

Crap.

Crap.

Moana ducked just in time to avoid the swinging mainsail.

She'd never seen anything like this in her entire life (not that she could see anything at the moment) and she was starting to think this would be the last thing she ever did see. It was like the squall in her woeful little heart had called forth this beast of a storm to give her one hell of a perspective change.

The wild motion of the angry sea shook the brains in her head like a mixer.

She'd lost her oar an hour ago and was honestly surprised she hadn't lost an arm with it. Now, she fumbled around for the stay that had been yanked out of her grasp (again), empty handed and blind. The sky, the air, the water.. everything was inky black, except for the foamy punches hitting her face. Those were grey.

Every bolt of lightning struck closer and closer to her tiny craft like it was a magnet. The bright flashes dazzled her eyes and made everything even blacker than before.

Ah! Finally!

Her hand closed around the flailing rope and she pulled it toward her, lurching forward as the canoe picked up speed and height, almost completely vertical on another mountainous wave. The rope was turning red where she gripped it. Everything stung with searing pain.

'Demi-god of way finding… demi-god, my butt.', she thought ruefully, over and over again.

Moana had enough brains to know that she probably wasn't going to survive this. No way was anyone coming for her mortal butt in this chaos.

That same thing also gave her a giddy kind of relief that her ongoing, torturous decision had finally been wrenched from her hands and thrown into the ocean- even if it was an ocean she didn't recognize. An ocean that wouldn't answer her calls for help.

'The ocean doesn't help you. You help yourself.' Maui's brutish voice barked in the back of her mind.

An electric streak cracked the surface of the water wide open, just beyond the bow, and sent sparks dancing across her skin.

It was the smallest of favors that he wasn't seeing her like this- scrambling for survival and failing so miserably.

A dreadful ripping sound tore through the shrieking wind as a single, forceful punch severed one half of the sail from the other.

Another burst of light revealed the split flapping away as the whole thing dipped again into the rocking surge, tossing the last of her hope overboard.

Squeezing her eyes shut against the chaos around her, she let the violent spray wash the tears from her battered face and finally gave in to dramatics.

Goodbye, Mom. Goodbye, Dad.

Goodbye... Maui.

Another sob wracked her worn-out body as her heart called out to him.

Moana was wrapped around the outrigger boom tighter than the ropes, feeling like the waves were trying to break her into little pieces for the fish, when she felt something much denser (and heavier) slam onto the deck and skid to the stern, panting heavily and holding a hook.

Her bleary eyes couldn't see much but she could hear the harsh coughing and the loud protest as he tried to stand.

"Moana!"

She heard her name on that blessedly familiar voice and hope crashed into her face with the next wave. She spit away the brine and cried out, actually smiling.

"Maui!"

* * *

No one is ever a match for the heightened fury of mother nature, not even a demi-god.

Stay tuned, y'all.

As always, thanks for reading.


	8. Chapter 8

This nightmare storm was turning into one big, violent ball of vengeful electricity. Moana had never been this scared, not even in her (very scary) first storm, clinging to an overturned canoe that had knocked her right out.

The strobing light made it impossible for her swollen eyes to focus on anything around her, least of all the new fighter in the ring. She blinked through the spray and saw Maui on his knees, his shoulders heaving with the effort and his mouth open- yelling something she couldn't hear over the deafening crack overhead.

The next flash, he was hauling himself to his feet with that legendary hook, already reaching for her. The bow of the canoe heaved to the side with Maui's immense poundage- yes, the darling idiot had actually made the situation worse. But… she looked at his wide, worried face and something growled in her heart, something very primal.

She might have made her peace with her own dramatic end but she'd be damned if she was gonna let him die out here.

If they were going to survive this, she had to move. Now.

"Where are you going?!" Maui hollered across the wind. She didn't even look up or shove the matted curls from her face, she was too busy spitting sea water from her chapped lips as each wave swept her back. Apparently, the ocean wouldn't even let her valiant belly-crawl go without a fight.

'C'mon, Moana, FOCUS.' she screamed at herself and shot forward again, still hanging on for dear life.

This was getting so old.

At last she clawed her way up, flipped the storage lid and fumbled in the soggy space until her fingers closed around the tools she so desperately needed. Biting down (too hard) on this treasure, eyes wild, she raced the lightning to the center of the canoe, the rough waves still trying their best to knock everything out of her mouth (including her teeth).

Then, a quick shimmy up the mast, a threaded needle in the dark and a scream of frustration as the sail was yanked from her hands again and again.

"I. Can't. SEE." she roared, less than a quarter of the way down the tear.

Maui caught on, fast. "I got ya, Mo!"

And suddenly, she could see! …for about 5 seconds.

A cry of effort rang out as a second bolt struck the glowing curve of his hook, raised high above his unruly curls, sending sparks down every rune. She worked in the space of a thousand flashes, as fast as they were bright and as long as he was able to hold them. The waves, the wind, the blackened sky- they would not take her today.

And they wouldn't take him.

The next bolt of light couldn't outshine Maui's triumphant smile and his fist in the air, soaked with rain, as she bit off the end of the string with a snap. Her returning smile and shout filled the sail along with the wind, propelling them forward faster than ever before.

The next lightning bolt hit her. Shear agony was the last thing that pierced her fading consciousness as her limp body fell from the mast onto the deck with a flat thud.

* * *

Didn't think the storm had passed did you? Remember, it always gets worse before it gets better.

*evil laugh*

As always, thanks for reading.

(And some special love to my reviewing friends, and to the wonderful feedback and Princess Bride gifs they leave.)

(Talk about a direct line to my heart.)


	9. Chapter 9

The tempest raged on. It reached out in all directions, demanding to be seen, to be heard, to be felt.

But Maui couldn't see it. He couldn't hear it. He couldn't feel it.

Maui's world had stopped.

A single blow had knocked the air from his lungs and brought the fearsome legend to his knees on that god-forsaken canoe. One agonizing thought had him by the throat, choking the life out of him.

Not her.

Anyone but her. Take his hook- take his LIFE- but please don't take her.

Moana hung limply in his arm, her eyes closed in the darkness. No sound reached the ear he pressed to her chest.

No heartbeat.

No breath.

Nothing.

What had he done? What had he _done_?

The blessed, red thread wrapped so tightly around his heart, thrumming so happily, had gone still. As cold as death.

He blinked in disbelief, unwilling to accept it. Every part of him bucked against it.

Then, slowly, rage began to build within the scattered pieces of his soul.

The grip on his hook tightened and his resounding glare sent a shockwave through the tumult.

Maui barely registered the sharp sting of the waves as he gently laid Moana back down on the deck, bent and broken as his anguished heart. His sharp gaze pierced the roiling, angry sky.

His smile was as dark as the clouds. He could use this. There was still time.

He turned the hook over in his hands once. Twice.

Carvings pulsed with familiar magic, lighting his grim expression and his stolid resolve. She might never forgive him, but there was no other choice.

The blackened clouds above his head crackled with anticipation. They gathered tightly over the rocking craft. The wind was gaining speed, whipping his unruly hair around his pinched face, but he closed his eyes against it all and focused. Quiet, calm, deep within himself.

Then, Maui raised his glowing fish hook high above his head. And roared.

A massive bolt of lightning struck the curve, burning sparks down to it's hilt. It forced him back on the slick wood but he held fast until the tip began to glow brighter, brighter… brighter!

'Yes! That's it!' he rejoiced. 'Just a little more…!'

The hook groaned under the fierce pressure but still, Maui held his ground.

A small, sparking crack appeared on it's curve. Then another…

Violet light replaced blue. It would have to be enough.

At the last possible moment, Maui cried out and flung the beam forward with all of his strength. It surged on and hit Moana's motionless form, striking the center of her chest, seizing violently.

He grinned morbidly. Bullseye.

The crackling vortex, guided by the straining hook, became a vacuum- sucking the dark clouds and all of their churning elements into the swirling maelstrom and then straight into her. Her tiny frame swallowed it all, arching and vibrating with energy.

The light was blinding.

The sky began to look brighter as the dark clouds were funneled into her, their new vessel, threaded through the streak of lightning, soaked with any wave that dared to meet it.

Every drop of rain was sucked away.

One final burst of power rippled across the ocean as the vein was finally severed, the connection broken, the storm spent. Maui's ruined hook lay smoldering on the quiet deck while a single plume of smoke rose languidly from Moana's crumpled body. She sparked and twitched with residual fire.

Exhausted and heaving, Maui gathered the last of his strength and pulled himself forward to reach her.

"Please… tell me I made it…" he begged, dragging his battered body across the still canoe.

Finally he lay beside her. She was so small…

He slipped his hand behind her head and brought it forward in an aggressive, almost desperate, hongī.

Small, feather-light puffs of breath hit his face. His relieved, delirious laugh hit hers.

Alive!

She was _alive_!

Breathing, living, ALIVE!

Tears came unbidden, prickling at the corners of his eyes, glinting brightly with warm, evening light. The untroubled sea lapped against the worn-out craft.

In the newfound calm, the sound of her steadily beating heart reverberated in his waiting ears, restarting his own.

He sat up, still laughing, and pulled her into his lap. His tired arms enveloped her, unwilling to surrender his prize ever again.

His hand on her cheek, he gently lifted her face and pressed their foreheads together once more, completely oblivious to the fact that the treasure in his arms was starting to wake up.

* * *

SHE LIVES! I love lightning. Like jumper cables to a car battery, plus a dash extra.

This one took a month to hammer into a fine point. I hope it was at least kind of worth the wait.

As always, thanks for reading.


	10. Chapter 10

Consciousness came slowly. Sluggishly.

The fog in her brain was thick and dense, it's cold, damp fingers holding her eyes shut against all the effort it was taking to wake up.

For a while, things were so fuzzy that Moana didn't know she was awake at all. But then, the most wonderful sound in the whole world trickled through the silent mist like an ocean bird. She knew it in a second.

Maui was laughing.

It brought a smile to her numb face. At least, she hoped she was smiling. It's hard to tell what your face is doing when you're floating in consciousness limbo. At the moment, the only thing that could be trusted was the laugh she heard, so she listened with eager ears. The rich sound warmed her from the top of her tangled head down to the tips of her aching toes. She wiggled them, glad she was starting to feel something again.

The aches and pains only multiplied as her senses came back online, one by one, but her attention was focused on another sound reaching for her now.

Its familiar, wet, rippling chime was as soft as a lullaby. It washed away the remaining fog with an easy hand like the old friend she remembered, leaving a surprisingly pleasant exhaustion in its wake. It rocked her to and fro like a sleepy child, making her feel safer still. She hadn't realized she was _this_ tired. It was probably time to try and open her eyes but they were suddenly so heavy. Just a few more minutes wouldn't hurt anyone…

Then, something warm and solid pressed against her forehead, calling Moana back to the world that was awake.

It was gentle, tender. Loving.

Who…?

 _Oh!_

She managed to pry one sleepy eye open and, sure enough, the first thing that came into focus was Maui's great, big, happy face, exactly zero inches from her own, shining like the stupid sun.

Moana's heart sputtered and died for the second time that day.

"Hey, curly!" he hollered at full volume inter her blinking face, "Welcome back!"

"Hi.." she groaned and slammed her eyes shut again. He was way too bright and way too loud and the evening sun was peaking out from behind his big head, making things even worse. Her own voice was raspy and hoarse as she croaked out, "What happened?"

Almost as soon as the question left her mouth, a single bolt of lightning struck through her clogged memory and she tensed with remembered panic, but only for a moment, because she couldn't hear or feel a single trace of the earsplitting chaos she was sure she'd left behind.

Two massive arms tightened around her. _Relax,_ they said. _You're safe._

Maui's rumbling voice pulled her attention back the rest of the way, "It's over, Mo. We made it."

What? _How_?

Moana was too dumb-founded to speak and shockingly, their unexpected survival was only one of several reasons why. The most pressing one being where she was currently sitting- curled up, pretty as you please, in Maui's lap. His _lap_. She'd certainly never been there before and here he was acting like it was the most natural thing in the world- at this very moment giving her a look that said, 'Well, where else would you be?'

Yet, as she quietly palpitated over this, his countenance changed again. That expression- so serious.. Always a weird fit on his rounded features. He was just looking, no- _gazing_ at her with the same intensity that marked everything else he ever did, invading every speck of her personal space as only Maui knew how.

Come to think of it, Maui only got this jarringly invasive when he had something serious to say. Judging from the way the tip of his nose grazed hers, this must be something really big. She could feel it waiting just beneath the surface and it was making her heart pound.

Maui finally tore his eyes away and sighed.

She gulped, barely breathing.

He opened his mouth and….

"Moana, I did something."

Yikes.

Looking at the wilting state he was in, Moana took stock of her options. Remorse was plastered all over his pitiful face so she knew she had to choose her next words carefully, or at least say them carefully. One wrong word and he'd probably throw himself off the canoe.

She sighed and closed her eyes, taking their proximity in stride and bumping her forehead affectionately against his. In a tone as kind as she could make it, she dared to ask the million dollar question: "What exactly did you do?"

Maui sighed back and physically braced himself, lifting his head, running a hand through his curls, already rambling, "First of all, I think it's important that we acknowledge that you are no longer dead."

Her eyes popped open and the Maui-consideration train came to a screeching halt as she processed only one word in that whole sentence. Did he say dead?

He cleared his throat awkwardly and blathered on, "So, you were a regular mortal, right? And-"

" _Were_?"

"-and mortals tend to, you know, _die_. So… I… might have made you… not… mortal."

He finished on a spectacular grimace and waited. It looked like he was waiting for a punch to the face but truth be told, she was still outstandingly calm, all things considered. Even if she didn't look it. (Her eyes were as wide as the sun.)

"A demi-god?" she asked Maui evenly.

"A demi-god."

"Immortal?"

"Immortal."

And there it was.

The choice of a lifetime- of a thousand lifetimes… gone. No wonder he looked so sorry.

That sorry look then glanced away and she couldn't help but follow his guilty eyes down, only to stare in open-mouthed shock at her roasted shoulder.

The sharp pains emanating from this new decoration blended in pretty smoothly with the rest of the general throbbing in her bones, so who knows when she would have noticed it. But still, how did she miss that?! The burn was _huge_. And… intricate.

Moana silently inspected the charred, striated pattern winding from her back to her front. There was gonna be some spectacular scarring later on. It actually looked like her hawk tattoo was shooting electricity from its wing, branching out with more than a dozen fingers across the shoulder, then joining into a single point again over her scorched heart. A different mark sat there, this one shaped like a giant star.

She could've sworn she saw bright, residual sparks glinting around them.

Her mouth opened, ready to fire off another round of necessary questioning but another flicker of movement caught her keen eye and her glance shot over to what remained of the legendary fish hook at the other end of the deck. Faint tendrils of smoke rose from the fatal crack running down it's length.

Oh…

So that's what happened.

Her eyes fell closed, finally understanding clearly. For a long, quiet moment, all the new demigod could do was stare at her hands, folded nervously across her stomach.

Still blistered. Still hers.

The breeze sighed with her, rustling her brittle, salty hair. Her heart beat on, steadily as ever. The impending freak out was definitely running late. Moana was quite sure she should be having the anxiety attack of the century- heart pounding, sweat beading… no longer standing over the great, fearful chasm of eternity but falling permanently through it's never-ending passage, screaming all the way down.

Except, that wasn't quite right. She wasn't falling at all. She was safe and warm and still. The rest of time wasn't flying past her scared, lonely face at a million miles an hour- no, it was holding her. Tenderly. Like she was made of gold.

Moana of Motunui, demigod of wayfinding (and storms, probably) looked up into the big, bright, beautiful face of the dearest person in her life and wondered how she could have ever thought she'd be alone.

"Are you mad?" he blurted, looking so lost it nearly broke her heart.

Mad? _Really?_ Moana was absolutely positive the emotional stew in her heart was going to explode out of her in a big, ugly mess if she so much as opened her mouth, so she kept it good and shut.

"You gotta say something, Mo."

Loaded tears pricked at the corners of her eyes.

"Anything." he pleaded.

Words failed, so she threw her arms around him.

Relief. Happiness. So much gratitude. Love… all of it poured from her heart in an infinite stream. That joyful little heart then proceeded to leap right out of her when Maui buried his face in her hair, clutched her tightly to his chest and returned every single one.

—

 _One week later…_

Moana let out a yelp and a gasp when the large, familiar hand on her shoulder shoved her right off the canoe, something that would have been way less cringeworthy if they were actually in the water and not still moored on the beach, hanging over a few measly inches of foamy surf.

"You gonna snap out of it, or what?" Maui shouted over the splash. Moana was still rubbing the saltwater and shock from her sputtering face and wishing ardently for a stick to throw at his big, fat head. She settled for a seashell. It whizzed right past him, ineffective.

Her eyes crackled with fire, "Snap out of _what_ , you stupid, crazy, son of a-"

"There she is." he beamed fondly, his chin propped lazily in his hand. Then, he simply raised an expectant eyebrow at her and waited.

She could have punched that expectant eyebrow right off of his face but she only took a deep breath and pushed it out through her nose. Of course, he'd noticed. She knew she'd been acting strange all week but only now did she feel stupid for even thinking she could hide it.

"Fine", she mumbled under her breath, giving the shallow water a resigned, frustrated smack.

And only after another loaded pause did she dare to ask, out loud, the question that was weighing her heart down like a lava rock, burning a hole on the tip of her tongue, torturing her all week long. Another deep breath for good luck, and…

"Maui… do you want to stay here?"

A flash of surprise crossed his face.

She couldn't blame him for that. There certainly had been better times to ask this than the day they were supposed to leave. She sighed and looked away, down at the tiny fish inspecting her toes in the surf.

"It's just… you love it here. They love you. How can I ask you to leave, when-?" A sniff betrayed her valiant attempt not to cry. "I just can't."

"Why does any of that matter?"

Um, what? Moana blinked, taken aback by his surprising answer- not exactly what she wanted to hear for all her pains. It took two more seconds for her to bridle against it, eyes flashing defensively, "Excuse me?"

Maui huffed but extended his hand to her, deliberately gentling his tone to soothe her ruffled feathers, "Let me ask you something, Curly."

"What?" she grumbled, letting him haul her back onto the deck. They sat side by side again, though only one was dry.

He nodded toward the open ocean that was screaming her name. "When you're out there," he asked, "do you love them any less? Do they love you any less?" he glanced back at her, "Are you any less a part of Motunui?"

She looked at him like he'd gone insane. What kind of questions were those? And when did he get so philosophical? "Um, no…?"

He gave her a pointed look. "Am I?"

Oh.

"No." She sounded much more sheepish than she wanted to.

The grin on his face was a smug one. "Then I guess it doesn't matter."

Hands on her hips, she managed to return it with some added sass, "I guess not."

Still, the smile on her face did nothing to ease the tiniest inkling of guilt that still had a small foothold in her heart, and sure enough, he noticed that too.

She jumped when she heard the splash, suddenly face to face with the much-older demigod in a rare moment of unyielding firmness. His hands planted themselves solidly on either side of her soggy self as he leaned in incredibly (and predictably) close, yet again. But even so, he could do this a thousand times and she would still find herself frozen in a rictus of anxiety.

The sly tilt to his smile was also doing a great job of making her nervous. He tucked a stray curl behind her ear.

"Listen up, Buttercup, 'cause I'm only gonna say this one more time."

He was so close now, she was sure he could see the thoughts in her mind that were running around in a panic as he firmly grasped her chin between his thumb and forefinger, locking their eyes together.

His voice rumbled low and hard. "Where you go- I go."

Their noses touched. "Do you understand?"

Trying very hard not to look starry-eyed, she finally managed to nod. "Okay."

She went starry-eyed, anyway. Man, he had a great smile.

His large hand then released her chin and grabbed the oar that had been lying beside them. He brandished it with a twirl and held it out for her.

"Alright, then." he grinned. "Let's go."

 _FIN._

* * *

*cries*

I can't believe it's over.

I hope you'll forgive the long wait- this was my first conclusion (ever) and I wanted to treat it with respect. I hope I was able to do it justice and give you at least some satisfaction (and fanservice, let's be honest).

I was excited to really dig into my motto: Give 'em hell, then everything they've ever wanted.

The past 6 months have been so much fun with all of us together (You, me, Maui...) and there aren't strong enough words for what a fantastic writing experience this has been.

To all of you reading, and especially my besties who review- from the bottom of my heart, thank you. This was so much fun because of you.

On to the next FF adventure :) See you there, peeps!

As always, thanks for reading.


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